08/02/2026
8/2/2026 Public Message from Mayor Naillon:
Hi All!
Thank you for your patience through another wildfire season. Each one comes with a unique set of challenges and blessings. I would like to thank each and every one of you for your patience as we navigate the Sinlahekin fire.
I have been attending daily fire cooperator briefings on behalf of our community. I have learned much from the crews fighting this fire and have had the opportunity to ask questions and listen to those asked by others.
First, I want to encourage everyone to find their OWN current information. Please do not rely on screenshots of alerts and maps shared by others. They may be out of date.
Please navigate to:
Okanogan County Emergency Management | Okanogan WA
facebook.com
https://www.facebook.com/Okanogan.County.Emergency.Management
For current, accurate information regarding the current fire and other emergencies. Open the latest alerts to read about levels, regions impacted and evacuation routes.
To help some of that information make sense please navigate to:
http://perimetermap.com
This site will show you the areas described in the alerts and help you locate them relative to you or your friend's and family's properties.
If you have not signed up for the County alert system, please do so at:
Okanogan County Alerts | Okanogan County, WA
https://www.okanogancounty.gov/405/Okanogan-County-Alerts
This will enable texts of the latest alerts to be sent directly to you and also allow you to get the TONE similar to an amber alert to your phone for emergent notices. This is handy if you want to get some rest but do not want to miss something critical.
If you are wondering about road closures, you can see most of them on perimetermap.com, but I would suggest:
Real-time travel data | WSDOT or calling the Washington State Patrol. LINK: https://wsdot.com/travel/real-time/
Questions asked that I can share the answers (As of 10:15 AM August 2nd, 2026) are:
-Can the fire still come up over Palmer Mountain and threaten Oroville?
Yes. We were issued a reprieve when the wind changed directions due to the atmospheric pressures that we are experiencing. However, when those winds stop, the natural tendencies of the ravines in the Loomis area may generate wind fanning the flames back up the south side of Palmer. The fire crews worked hard on reinforcing that fire line when the wind let up, but when it shifted, they had to hustle to protect the areas that suddenly were in front of advancing flame. So the risk is still there.
-Why isn't there more air support?
The fire crews have been requesting helicopters and retardant planes every day. Due to the number of wildfires, resources are spread thin, and the amount of smoke over the area and other areas that the planes and helicopters would be travelling from have prevented those requests from being met. Additionally, those efforts are not usually effective with the high wind gusts that we are experiencing. They will continue to request air support, and they are hoping that we will get more soon.
-Is it safe to go back into level 3 evacuation zones west of the rivers now?
The crews ask that you refrain from doing so, because if things shift and those areas become a hot spot, they do not want that additional complexity. They want to ensure that everyone is safe.
-What about the power?
The power lines are vulnerable; the PUD explained the vulnerabilities this morning to the crew and the importance of maintaining service. The message was well received and they will do their best, but there is a chance that there will be additional outages if conditions worsen around the transmission lines.
Last, I want to give a heartfelt thank you to our fire crew, the other fire districts, the Cal Fire unit and admin working this wildfire, our county leadership, law enforcement and others involved in helping us through this. And thank you all for supporting one another.
~Ed
